Siding



April 1968 s. w. SCHAEFER ET AL 3,380,215 I SIDING Filed June 7, 1965 Figzi INVENTORS STEVEN W. SCHAEFER DAVID A. GODES GARY C. FULMER United States Patent 3,380,215 SIDING Steven W. Schaefer, Mentor, David A. Godes, Lorain, and Gary C. Fulmer, Columbus, Ohio, assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to Diamond Shamrock Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 7, 1965, Ser. No. 461,842 3 Claims. (Cl. 52-522) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved siding, preferably of rigid plastic such as extruded polyvinyl chloride, is provided with fastening means so that it can be installed without the use of nails or screws. The configuration of the siding panel readily lends itself to installation over pre-existing wooden or composition siding. If one panel becomes damaged, the damaged panel easily can be removed and replaced without disturbing adjacent panels.

This invention relates to improved siding installations for buildings, and more particularly to an improved siding panel which may be installed over an ordinary wood base to protect it from damage.

Ordinary wooden, composition or similar siding, of the type that has been used for years on the outside walls of houses and other buildings, is subject to weathering and damage of various kinds and high costs are often incurred for its maintenance. To avoid these maintenance costs and provide a more durable outer surface, it has become customary to install an outer siding made of more resistant material than wood; aluminum and rigid plastic are typically used. While under mild conditions aluminum and similar sidings retain their attractive appearance with relatively little expense for long periods of time, they are susceptible to certain kinds of damage which may mar them and impair their appearance. For example, a stone or golf ball may hit the aluminum siding and dent it, or it may be scratched by ladders or tools. If this happens, it is very diflicult and burdensome to re move the damaged piece and install a new one since the units are normally attached by nails which must be pulled to remove the siding. Moreover, owing to the interlocking relationship of each siding panel with the ones above and below it, it is often troublesome or impossible to remove one without removing the entire wall. Finally, most of the alumnium and plastic sidings heretofore available have an insulated backing layer. While this insulated layer may be desirable when the siding is to be originally installed in a new house, it is unnecessary and adds substantially to costs when siding panels are to be mounted over existing wooden siding in an already insulated house.

A principal object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an inexpensive siding which is resistant to weathering and other severe conditions.

A further object is to provide siding panel the individual units of which may be easily removed when damaged and replaced by new units, without disturbing adjacent panels.

Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

Described in general terms, the present invention comprises a siding panel of rigid, resistant material, adapted to be removably mounted over a lapped base unit with a freely downward-projecting lower edge, said panel comprising: (A) a horizontally extending portion; (B) an inwardly directed hook-like extension at the lower end thereof, said extension being adapted to hook over said downward-projecting lower edge of said base unit; and (C) securing means at the upper edge and on the inner portion of said hook-like extension, said securing 3,380,215 Patented Apr. 30, 1968 means being pressure-responsive and adapted to engage means on the next lower and higher panels, whereby said panels may be secured to their respective base units. Reference is made to the drawings for a more complete understanding of the construction of the siding panels of this invention.

In the drawings, FIGURE 1 is an end View of a preferred embodiment of a siding panel according to the present invention. FIGURE 2 is a detailed end view of the siding of FIGURE 1, installed over pre-existing wooden or composition siding or the like. FIGURE 3 shows an installation of an alternative embodiment. FIG- URE 4 is a cross-section of a strip used to hold in place the siding of FIGURE 3.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the preferred embodiment of this invention comprises a siding panel 1, the surface of which is preferably concave to increase pressure on the base unit when mounted but may be planar (as shown in FIGURE 1). The panel may be constructed of any rigid, resistant material; extruded polyvinyl chloride is preferred. An inward projection 2 extends the length of the panel near its upper edge. At the lower edge, the panel culminates in what may be termed connecting flanges forming a hook-like extension, the inner portion of which consists of base unit-gripping flange member 3 and pressure-exerting flange member 4. When installed (FIGURE 2) the hook-like extension fits over the freely downwardextending lower edge 5 of base unit 6, said base unit comprising an ordinary building siding panel which has been partially cut away as shown. The base unit is gripped by flange member 3, and flange member 4 exerts pressure on the upper end of adjacent siding panel unit 1 which is similarly attached to base unit 6. At its upper edge, siding panel unit 1 is secured by means of projection 2' which engages groove 7 in the base unit. The next higher panel, after installation, secures the upper edge of said panel as shown in FIGURE 2. Thus, the panel is held securely in place at both its upper and lower edges.

In the event of damage to panel 1, it is easily removed by breaking the panel lengthwise, disengaging the hooklike portion from base unit 6 and urging the upper edge outward against the pressur e-exerting member of the next higher panel. A new panel unit may then be easily installed.

In the alternative embodiment shown in FIGURE 3, the hook-like extension on the panel has on its edge a sawtooth configuration 8, which corresponds with a similar configuration 9 on the upper edge of the adjacent panel. Pressure is exerted thereon by a sawtooth-shaped strip 10, shown in detail in FIGURE 4. This strip, constructed of a resilient material such as semi-rigid polyvinyl chloride, contains a notch 11 which permits compression of the strip when it is forced into the space between the two siding units. Once in place, it exerts outward pressure on said units to secure them. To remove a damaged panel, it is necessary only to remove the strips above and below it, whereby it easily slips out without disturbing the adjacent panels.

Before the siding of this invention can be installed, it is necessary to cut away portions of the base siding as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. Any suitable cutting tool, manual or power-driven, may be used for this purpose. For the embodiment shown in FIGURE 2, two cuts per panel must be made, while only one is necessary for the embodiment of FIGURE 3. After being so cut, the units are prepared to serve as base units for mounting the siding panels of this invention.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited by the specific examples and embodiments described hereinabove, but includes such changes and modifications as may be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a lapped siding comprising a plurality of lapped siding units, each unit having a cutaway portion in the freely downwardly projecting lower edge thereof, said cutaway portion being spaced inwardly from the outer face of said unit, with the outer face of each said unit being substantially uninterrupted from the terminus of the underlying unit to the freely downwardprojecting lower edge of an overlapping unit, a plurality of siding panels over-laying each of said units, each such panel including an elongated body portion and an inwardly directed first flange adjacent the lower edge thereof underlying the freely downwardly projecting lower edge of a unit, an upwardly directed second flange joined to said first flange, said second flange being spaced inwardly from said elongated body portion and extending into said cutaway portion adjacent the upper terminus of the panel therebelow, the upper edge of each panel being I positioned within said cutaway portion of the overlaying unit, and means removably positioned within said cutaway portion to apply pressure between the upper terminus of a lower panel and the second flange of an upper panel, whereby a given panel may be selectively removed from the assembly of said overlapping panels and units without disturbing the units or the panels adjacent thereto.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the means removably mounted within said cutaway portion for applying pressure between the upper terminus of a lower panel and the second flange of an upper panel includes sawtoothed configurations on the second flange of a panel and on the upper terminus of the next lower panel, and a semi-rigid, notched, sawtooth-shaped strip inserted between said second flange and said upper terminus of the next lower panel, engaging said configurations of said flange and panel.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said lapped siding units are provided with a shallow groove in the upper portion thereof adjacent the cutaway portion of an overlapping unit, said siding panels are provided with a projection engaging said groove, and said second flange is of arcuate form positioned so as to apply pressure between the upper portion of an adjacent panel and said second flange.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,318,125 10/1919 Zimbelmann 52-529 2,820,257 1/1958 Newton 52553 X 3,110,130 11/1963 Trachtenberg 52404 X 3,214,876 11/1965 Mattes 52-522 X 3,282,613 11/1966 Axelsonn 52-471 X FOREIGN PATENTS 57,302 2/ 1940 Denmark.

HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner.

M. O. WARNECKE, Assistant Examiner. 

